


To a Monster

by claireandelide



Category: Howl's Moving Castle - All Media Types
Genre: Don’t copy to another site, Drabble, Gen, set in the movie-verse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-16 17:29:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16958400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/claireandelide/pseuds/claireandelide
Summary: Sophie has had enough of the mess. Calcifer shares another perspective.





	To a Monster

**Author's Note:**

> “You must not forget that a monster is only a variation and that to a monster the norm is monstrous” - John Steinbeck, East of Eden

__Cleaning lady looked like something the Wizard Howl needed_.  
_

_“Fill a necessary void and you’ll never be out of work,”_ Sophie’s father used to say. He used to encourage Sophie and Lettie to be practical. Open your eyes and find the gaps.

Howl’s blue eyes, unnerved Sophie, her heart beating fast and her hands growing clammy. She rushed to give him the answer to his unasked question,  _‘Why should I let you stay?’_

Her eyes darted around daring him to deny the squalor.  _It’s filthy in here. Mother would throw a fit._

It must have been the right answer because Howl let her stay.  _Howl let you live_ , thrummed in the back of her mind.

Sophie cleaned.

Top to bottom evicting cobwebs and inviting in the light.

They ate with full sets of silverware and Calcifer had a fire pit clear of ash.

Soon things would return to their former state: cobwebs appearing and unwashed dishes soaking. Sophie could handle this.

But, when Sophie stood in the bathroom, bucket in hand examining the colors, she found her limit. 

Every couple of days the damage would return. Pigment was on everything, in almost every hue.

“What do you think he does in there Calcifer?” Sophie glared over her tea cup sitting by the fire.

Calcifer hesitated, his shadow dancing on the ceiling. “I’m not exactly sure.”

“I mean honestly. He’s a grown man. He should have the decency to clean after himself.”

Calcifer grew silent again. “…Sophie, what do you know about Howl?”

She shifted. “Different things mostly from rumors,” she said quickly, hoping to switch topics. The faint echo of  _Howl let you live_ returning to mind.

“You know this curse keeps me from speaking about it. What do you know?” Calcifer’s voice hushed, the intensity growing. Syllables clipped and constants snapping. 

“I’ve heard them say he eats girls hearts. And he’s a monster.” Sophie felt her stomach turn…

She used to believe this. And now–

“You see how your curse affects you: what you see, how you react. Imagine what his does to him…and how his norms have shifted.”


End file.
